Ethnic Cleasing at the Museum of Civilization, Hull
13/12/2002

Protest letter against the Museum of Civilization's recent actions:

We, the undersigned artists, are dismayed at the decision by the Canadian Museum of Civilization to terminate the contract of Dr. A?Øda Kaouk, curator of the important exhibition "The Lands Within Me: Expressions by Canadian Artists of Arab Origin", and to close entirely the Museum‚Äôs Southwest Asian and Middle East program.

We feel both acts are extensions of the Museum‚Äôs controversial decision in 2001, under its president Victor Rabinovitch, to postpone the exhibition of "The lands Within Me" following the events of September 11. You may recall that an overwhelming grassroots protest, followed by Prime Minister Jean Chr?©tien‚Äôs denunciation of the Museum‚Äôs decision in the House of Commons, permitted the exhibition to go on as planned. The exhibition was enthusiastically received by the Canadian and international visiting public.

It appears that the museum has terminated Dr. Kaouk’s contract in retaliation for last year’s controversy. Dr. Kaouk, a loyal and hardworking employee for 10 years, refrained from criticizing her employer throughout last year’s events. Her expertise is needed to supervise the unfinished production of the "Lands Within Me" publication, to speak on the exhibition, and to follow up on interest by Canadian diplomats to tour the exhibition internationally.

We note three especially troubling aspects of this decision:
1. The museum continues to aggravate an unhealthy nationwide atmosphere of racism and political aggression against the Arab community, while it is in a position to help heal this attitude by promoting "The Lands Within Me"
2. The museum is targeting the only female worker from a non-European background
3. The museum justifies its decision to close the Southwest Asian/Middle East program on the grounds of "get[ting] out of ethnic categorizations," yet other programs, such as Southeast Asia or Southwest Europe, are exempt from this closure. Thus the decision amounts to an "ethnic cleansing" of the Museum, a final closing of its ears to Arab and other Southwest Asian voices.

We invite you to protest these actions of the Museum, and to request the reinstatement of Dr. Kaouk, by contacting the officials listed below. We also invite you to circulate this petition. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Laura Marks, Ottawa/Beirut
Rawi Hage, Montr?©al
Jayce Salloum, Vancouver


Victor Rabinovitch, president and executive director of the CMC :
victor.rabinovitch@civilisations.ca
Prime Minister Jean Chr?©tien: pm@pm.gc.ca
Minister of Canadian Heritage, Sheila Copps: Copps.S@parl.gc.ca
NDP Leader, Alexa McDonough: McDonough.A@parl.gc.ca

these Members of Parliament:
Marcel Proulx: proulm@parl.gc.ca
Sarkis Assadourian: assadourian.s@parl.gc.ca
Svend Robinson: robinson.s@parl.gc.ca
Libby Davies: daviel@parl.gc.ca
Mark Assad: Assadm@parl.gc.ca
Your own MP

Alex Himmelfarb, Private Council Office: info@pco-bcp.gc.ca

Outside Canada: your local Canadian Embassy.